Thursday, April 10, 2014

The Fishing Advertisement: The Defender Watch (1945)

When this advertisement for Defender Watches came out in the middle of 1945, America was still involved in World War II. American business, however, had its eyes on the post-war era, with the millions of G.I.s ready to be decommissioned and brought home with a war's worth of pay in their bank accounts.
Defender Watches was one of the companies that sought to jump start their business, offering this waterproof wrist watch and using the fishing theme to help sell the watch with the military name. It's a neat ad that promises much; alas, Defender Watches seemed to have disappeared by 1949. Still, this is a cool ad.

About Me

My name is Dr. Todd Larson, and I am a college history professor who writes on the history of fishing in America. I started this blog to help people better understand their outdoor heritage. I am originally from Duluth, Minnesota and live in Southwestern Ohio with my wife, daughter, three fish, two cats, and a dog.